The present invention relates broadly to ambulatory aids for disabled, post-operative or injured people who need additional support and stability in moving about or standing, and more particularly, to an invalid walker and a leg or leg support device mountable thereon. Such devices are generally referred to herein by the term leg support device, but it is expressly understood that such term includes devices used to support the leg, foot, and ankle of the user. Currently, invalid walkers generally have an upright frame structure with four downwardly projecting legs, and on the upper portion of the frame structure, handles are provided for gripping by the user. The user stands within the confines of the frame structure, gripping the handle portions, so as to utilize the frame structure for support and stability while standing or walking.
Typical invalid walkers require the user to support himself or herself solely by the gripping handles utilizing the user's arms. Problems arise with amputees or persons with leg, ankle, or foot injuries who must support the injured area with the upper torso, allowing the affected leg to hang free. Generally, when a leg support device has been offered, it has been offered in a fixed position, restricting its use and the walker to which it is applied. The aforementioned amputees or disabled persons with leg, ankle, or foot injuries could easily be faced with a leg support device that is worse than no support device at all, as for example where it is located at a disadvantageous position, causing either discomfort or impossibility of use due to its fixed mounting position.
For example, Tosto, U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,668, discloses a leg support device mounted in the open frame structure of an invalid walker. The leg support of Tosto, however, is mounted to two cross-members in the walker frame and is thereby effectively in a fixed position relative to the cross member of the walker frame. The leg support device of Tosto is incapable of height adjustability, and it does not readily adapt itself for use with a variety of walkers having different frame and leg construction.
Moreover, if a person were in temporary need of additional leg support and utilized the walker with the leg support device fixed in position, once the need passed, the user would be forced to change walkers. Conversely, if the user of a walker suddenly required leg support, that user would again be forced to change walkers. Further, suppliers of invalid walkers would have to keep two kinds of walkers; those with leg supports and those without leg supports to satisfy the demand for each type.